Hardships and diseases in the Jamestown colony
Jamestown Virginia was the first permanent colony to be established in the New World. People began moving to this colony in order to begin a new life. Many came in search of wealth hoping to find gold and land. Settlers imagined an easier life where death was one of their least concerns. However, the Jamestown colony settlers did not predict the difficulties in settlement. They knew little about the hardships and challenges faced, such as diseases and Native American relationships for example.
Jamestown confronted many difficulties that made it challenging for the citizens to establish. They did not have enough food and suffered from supply shortages. This caused many people to die of starvation. By 1610 this was known as the “starving time” because no one had anything to eat and no crops would grow because of the harsh weather (Foner 57). A man so desperate by hunger ate his own wife. People would do the unexpected to have something to eat.
Drought was also a factor that made it very difficult for settlers to survive in the colony. Growing their main crop, maize, also known as corn, was very difficult due to the lack of water. The water that was left in the lakes were of poor quality full of germs and bacteria later leading to fatal consequences (Blanton 77).
This colony was affected by the diseases caused by the location of its settlement. Jamestown was located next to a swamp which contained mosquitoes that carried malaria. This disease along with others killed many of the settlers. Not only that, but the water they drank from the river was contaminated with germs. Settlers would dump their trash into the river causing dysentery which was a disease that caused severe diarrhea due to an infection in the intestines. Typhoid fever was also set off by the germs in the local river. Of the 104 citizens that had established in Jamestown at the end of the year about half were dead due to the diseases that had infected them (Foner 57). Many after getting ill would not be able to recuperate because there was not enough medical supplies.
The settlers not only had to deal with the above problems but also with the Native American Indians. There were many conflicts between the two leading to the first two Anglo-Powhatan wars. Most of the natives just wanted to protect their interests and lands. Food also became a problem between them because the English began demanding maize from the Indians which lead the Natives to get aggressive.
The hardships that the settlers went through while living in Jamestown had affected them. Many of the settlers after seeing the deaths of many people in the first year due to a combination of physiological and physical factors, decided to move back to England (Kupperman 24). Living in Jamestown was not as easy as they had expected it to be because they were not accustomed to the new lifestyle which was very different from the way they were established and adapted in England.
Jamestown confronted many difficulties that made it challenging for the citizens to establish. They did not have enough food and suffered from supply shortages. This caused many people to die of starvation. By 1610 this was known as the “starving time” because no one had anything to eat and no crops would grow because of the harsh weather (Foner 57). A man so desperate by hunger ate his own wife. People would do the unexpected to have something to eat.
Drought was also a factor that made it very difficult for settlers to survive in the colony. Growing their main crop, maize, also known as corn, was very difficult due to the lack of water. The water that was left in the lakes were of poor quality full of germs and bacteria later leading to fatal consequences (Blanton 77).
This colony was affected by the diseases caused by the location of its settlement. Jamestown was located next to a swamp which contained mosquitoes that carried malaria. This disease along with others killed many of the settlers. Not only that, but the water they drank from the river was contaminated with germs. Settlers would dump their trash into the river causing dysentery which was a disease that caused severe diarrhea due to an infection in the intestines. Typhoid fever was also set off by the germs in the local river. Of the 104 citizens that had established in Jamestown at the end of the year about half were dead due to the diseases that had infected them (Foner 57). Many after getting ill would not be able to recuperate because there was not enough medical supplies.
The settlers not only had to deal with the above problems but also with the Native American Indians. There were many conflicts between the two leading to the first two Anglo-Powhatan wars. Most of the natives just wanted to protect their interests and lands. Food also became a problem between them because the English began demanding maize from the Indians which lead the Natives to get aggressive.
The hardships that the settlers went through while living in Jamestown had affected them. Many of the settlers after seeing the deaths of many people in the first year due to a combination of physiological and physical factors, decided to move back to England (Kupperman 24). Living in Jamestown was not as easy as they had expected it to be because they were not accustomed to the new lifestyle which was very different from the way they were established and adapted in England.
Sources
Blanton, Dennis B. "Drought as a Factor in the Jamestown Colony, 1607-1612." Historical Archaeology 34.4 (2000): 74. Print.
Foner, Eric. "Give Me Liberty! An American History." 1.4 (2005): 57-8. Print.
Kupperman, K O. "Apathy and Death in Early Jamestown. “Journal of American History (Bloomington, Ind.), 66.1 (1979): 24-40. Print.
Image: http://www.east-buc.k12.ia.us/00_01/CA/jam1.jpg
Foner, Eric. "Give Me Liberty! An American History." 1.4 (2005): 57-8. Print.
Kupperman, K O. "Apathy and Death in Early Jamestown. “Journal of American History (Bloomington, Ind.), 66.1 (1979): 24-40. Print.
Image: http://www.east-buc.k12.ia.us/00_01/CA/jam1.jpg